Fueling device



. M8119, 1953 A. T. SCHEIWER 2,638,916

FUELING DEVICE Filed uarchjze, 1947 3 sheets-sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

May 19, 1953 A. T. SCHEIWER FUELING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2- Filed March 39, 1947 INVENTOR.

Patented May 19, 1953 UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE Albert '1. Scheiwer, Erie, Pa.

Application March 29, 1947, Serial No. 738,042

4 Claims.

This invention relates generally to a fueling device, and it relates more particularly to an airplane fueling device which does not lose fuel after the fuel supply line is disconnected.

All airplane fueling devices of which I have knowledge have been such that the fuel would be placed in the tank from an aperture on the top side of the tank. Attempts have been made to fuel a plane from the bottom of the tank but it has been found that so much fuel was lost that it was practically impossible to get fuel in the tank without losing a considerable portion thereof.

It is, accordingly, an object of my invention to provide a novel fuel tank filling device operable from the bottom side of the tank, and it is more particularly an object of my invention to provide fuel tank filling means which is simple in construction, economical in cost, eflicient in operation, and easy to install.

Another object of my invention is to provide a means for filling the fuel tank of an airplane from the bottom side thereof without losing any of the fuel when the coupling is disconnected,

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel means in a fuel tank of an airplane to automatically close the fuel line leading to the tank.

Another object of my invention is to provide a fuel line entering the tank of an airplane around which no fuel remains when fuel ceases to pass through the fuel line.

Other objects of my invention will become evident from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevational view partly in section showing an illustration of one embodiment of my invention disposed in the bottom of a fuel tank.

Fig. 2 is an exploded View of another novel means for filling the tank of an airplane; and

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view with parts broken away for better illustration showing my novel means for fueling the tank of an airplane along with the fuel supply coupling attached thereto.

Referring now to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows the bottom of a fuel tank I having an aperture 2 over which is disposed a tapered inverted cupshaped member 3 having the lower flanged marginal portion 4 welded to the bottom of the fuel tank I. The cup-shaped member 3 has a centrally disposed aperture 5 for receiving a threaded flanged collar 6 in threadable engagement with the threaded portion 1- of a male coupling member 8 having'an outer peripheral groove 3 and an inner annular groove [0. The male member 8 also has an inner threaded portion l2 for receiving the threaded end [3 of a connecting member [4 having laterally extending apertures l5 for the passage of fuel. The member M has an internal annular seating portion [6 for seating a washer ll of a check valve l8 movable in the member M. The washer I! is urged against the seating portion l6 of the member If by spring member i9 which is held in the member l4 by a spring clip 20 and a stop member 2|. The male member 8 has an inner fianged seating portion 23 for engaging a washer 24 on the end of a check valve 25 movable in the male member 8, the washer 24 being forced against the seating portion 23 of the male member 8 by a spiral spring member 26 nested against an internal shoulder 2'! in the male member 8. provided for engagement with the threaded collar 6 and threadably engages the threaded portion 1 of the male member 8. The cup-shaped member 3 has outwardly extending supporting members 36 with cutaway portions 3| for supporting an inverted cup-shaped member 32 disposed overthe upper end of the member I l. The peripheral groove 9 of the male member 8 is adapted to engage with any suitable ball type female coupling member as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

In operation, the female coupling member of a supply line is connected to the malevmember 8 and fuel will flow into the cup-shaped member 32 through the male member 8 and the member Ill thereby moving the check valves I8 and 25 against the force of the springs l6 and 2i and away from their respective seats l5 and 23. The fuel flows to the tank I until it is filled the desired amount; When the supply of fuel is shut oif the check valves 25 and I8 seaton their respective seats 23 and 15 thereby preventing fluid from passing from the cup-shaped member 32 outwardly of the male member 8 and thereby sealing the tank I. There will be no gasoline or other fuel around the upper portion of the inverted cup-shaped member 32 because of the air trapped therein thereby minimizing or eliminating the loss of any fuel from the coupling membersupon disconnection thereof.

I have shown in Fig. 2 another illustration of my novel invention which comprises a fuel tank 5| in the wing 52 of an airplane. The wing 52 has an aperture 53 over which is disposed an inverted conical shaped member 54 having an aper- A locking nut 29 is 3 ture 55 in the upper end thereof for receiving a male member 55 of a coupling member. The male member 56 comprises connecting portion 51 having a peripheral groove 58 and inwardly projecting flanged portion 55 on the end thereof. An upwardly extending fuel pipe 6| has a threaded portion 62 for threadably engaging threaded portion 55 of the male member 56 of the coupling. The upper end 53 of the fuel line 6| is bent 180 as shown inFig. 2 with the open end 55 thereon entering th fuel tank I in a vertical position. A cover member 65 is disposed. over the open end 64 of the fuel pipe BI and is urged to a closed position by spring member 58. A check valve Bl having an end washer 52 and a projecting end male member as comprises a shell H having h radially extending apertures12,a groove fill, and a threaded stop member '43 disposed on the end thereof. Ball members i i are disposed in the radially extending apertures ii-and are locked by a locking member 75 movable on the outer side of the shell H. An inner sleeve 18 moves longitudinally of the shell H and holds the ball members outwardly as. shown in Fig. 2 to hold the locking sleeve 15 in a position as shown in Fig. 2 when the female member it is in an unlocked position. A check valve i! is disposed in the sleeve It and .seali'ngly engages the flanged end 18 thereof. Spring members "19 and 88, respectively, urge the sleeve member. 16 and the check valve 17 to scaling and locking relation-* ship. The shell H as a laterally extending branch 8| with a valve 82 for draining off any liquid remaining in the fuel line Bi and the male member 56 when the, valve 82 the fuel supply line 83 is shut off. A valve at is provided in the drain line 81.

In operation, connection is made as shown in Fig. 3 between the female member 18' and the male member 55 by merely insertingthe female member it over the male member 5% .andthe connection is made autoz'natically in that when the sleeve 16 is moved longitudinally of the shell II the ball members '14- enter the peripheral groove 58 in the male member 56 and the lock ing sleeve !5 moves-over the ball members Hi to hold them in a locking position in engagement with the groove 53 in the male member 55.3. Upon connection, the check valves 1i! and 94 are moved longitudinally as shown in Fig. 3 to permit the flow of fluidv from themain supply line 83 to the fuellin'e 6 1 and into thetank I When the fuel is passing through thefuel line 6| it forces the cover 65 against the force of the spring 65 to permit the flow of fuelv into the tank I. When the tank is filled tothe height of the cover 55 or thereabove, the cover 55v closes. and no more fuel enters the tank 1. Valve 82 in the supply line 83 is then closed and the valve 84 in the line 3! is opened and excessfuel passes downwardly from the fuel line 6| and outwardly through the drain line 8!. The male and female members 56 and 10 are then disconnected without the loss of any fuel. It will be evident from the foregoing that I have provided novel means for fueling an airplane from the underside of the wing or the underpart of the fuselage holding a tank without losing any fuel in the process.

It will be evident that my novel device may be utilized for passing fluid to any form of tank from the underside thereof.

Various changes may be made in the specific embodiment of my invention without departing from the spirit thereof, or from the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A device for fueling a tank from the bottom thereof comprising an aperture in the bottom of the tank, an inverted cup shaped member disposed over the aperture in said tank and having outwardly projecting support members, an open inverted cup shaped hood disposed on said support members and spaced upwardly from said inverted cup shaped member and the bottom of said tank, a coupling member carried by said inverted cup shaped member having one end thereof extending to the upper portion of the inside of said hood and the connecting end extending externally of said inverted cup shaped member and said tank, and a spring urged check valve in said coupling member for sealing fluid in said tank when'said coupling member is disconnected from a mated coupling member.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said coupling member has an axially aligned check valve therein movable longitudinally to an open position when fluid flows through said coupling member to said tank.

3. A fueling device for fueling a tank having an aperture in the underside thereof compris ing a first inverted cup shaped member supported in said tank and surrounding said aperture, a second inverted cup shaped member supported in said tank above and in spaced relation to said first cup shaped member, said. second cup shaped member having a comparatively long skirt whereby air is trapped in the upper inner side thereof, a fuel line extending through said first cup shaped member and into the upper in-- ner portion of said second inverted cup shaped member, a coupling member attached to said fuel line adapted to be coupled with amated coupling member externally of said tank, and a eheck valve in said coupling member movable longitudinally thereof upon connection of-said coupling member with air'lated coupling member externally of said tank 4-. A fueling device as set forth in claim 3 wherein said fuel line has a spring urged check valve therein in alignment with the check valve in said coupling member movable by fluid pressure to an open position upon the unsealing ef said check valve in said coupling member.

ALBERT T. SCHL IWER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number I Name Date 294,674 Richter Mar. 4, 1384 968,963 Long Aug. 30, 19.10

1,527,429 Ericson Feb. 2 1-, 1925 1,629,914 Haas May 24, 1927 1,787,916 Pol's'on Jan. 6, 1931 2,108,714 Hirsch Feb. 5, 1938 2,334,393 Amiot Mar. 11, 1941 2,266,682 Amiot Dec. 16, 1941 2,329,337 Cris's Sept. 14, 1943 2,3 2,559 Jauch Nov. 14, 1944 2,477,186 Koemer July 26, 1949 

